Using fabric paints and a variety of techniques, the complex Congress Cloth was created to look like the many hues of reflective water. Curved lines of sand were sponged with metallic paint and stenciled dots repeat the bubbles.

Wrapped fish line follows the lines of the golden sand, separating to trap the smooth waters, closing back up further down the beach. The smooth water of analogous colored long stitches alters the color of the dyed canvas showing through. The broken bubbles of button hole rings reflect the colors of the setting sun and the ebbing happiness as day turns to the dark stillness of night.

"Complex Congress Cloth" starts with white Congress cloth that is first painted with fabric paint and then scrunched. When dry, Mary Ellen pounced over them with blue paint to give them the aged look. She then stenciled footprints and the man with fabric paint on top of that. The last layer was the over-stitching with thin thread so that the layers of painting techniques would show through.